


Paper Cranes

by Bitway



Series: AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [3]
Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, wrote this in a different way than usual?? idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:40:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25698967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitway/pseuds/Bitway
Summary: When you fold a thousand paper cranes, you’ll meet your soulmate.AUgust Day 3 - Soulmate AU
Relationships: Katsuragi Kamui/Sendou Emi, Sendou Aichi/Suzugamori Ren
Series: AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860877
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6
Collections: AUgust 2020





	Paper Cranes

Aichi stared at the pack of origami paper placed on his desk. There were so many times he had reached out for it, only to pull his hand back. Some days he didn't even want to acknowledge its presence.

And on rare days he liked to dream of meeting his soulmate. The person who was bound to him and would be an important part of his life.

Doubt and sadness would rain down shortly after. He wasn't anyone special. Who would even want a soulmate like him? Whoever his soulmate was, they probably deserved better.

Emi had told him to give it a chance. What was the worst that could happen? (He could find out he was one of those rare few who didn't have a soulmate, but that was something he was definitely not about to say to her.) She had folded her cranes not long ago. While not as thrilled and love-struck with the idea, she was curious.

"Maybe they'll be a great friend to me. And maybe they'll be your friend to." She had once said to him.

It made him hope that his soulmate could get along with Emi too.

His eyes fall onto the paper once more.

What did he really have to lose from folding paper cranes, anyway? Aside from that one possibility, it's not like this would hurt.

"Just one crane."

Aichi finds out that the first crane you fold is never your best.

~…~

Every day, he folds one crane. It's a simple task that he finds comfort in. He lets the world around him disappear and focuses on the paper in front of him. It was a minute out of his day that was dedicated to himself…and his soulmate.

Aichi places them around his room as decorations. He wasn't sure what to do with them at first. He had asked Emi what she did, and she said she put them in a jar. Which he did once he found his desk and bookshelf beginning to look a little too crowded.

He doesn't realize how it makes him smile whenever he sees the jar filling up. It's just under the halfway mark. He thinks if he gathered those around his room, it might just fill it up.

~…~

"Aichi!" Emi calls out her brother's name. He could hear her running to his room.

"Hm? What is it, Emi?" He lifts his head from the crane he was folding to see his sister with a pack of origami paper in hand.

"It's for you!" She walks into his room and holds it out to him. "You finally got a different color."

"I did…?"

As he reaches out to take the pack, he finds the paper had changed from blue to red. You always started out with a color that represents you. After reaching the two hundred fifty mark, then you receive a color that matched your soulmate.

"What color was yours?"

"It changed to a light grey. The design on it was kind of weird, though…"

When Aichi looks down to his pack, he swears that he saw an image of his soulmate. It had come and gone too quickly to remember it though.

~…~

Aichi wonders if the paper had always been pure red or this strange hypnotic design with a hint of purple. Truthfully, he hadn't notice the shift at first. It was only when he needed a second jar for his collection did he see the changes.

From blue to red to whatever this design was. Did this mean something? Was his soulmate changing? He didn't know. People speculated about the change in patterns and color. Maybe it was a mix of the two coming together, maybe not.

"I hope they're okay…whoever they are."

~…~

"You what?!" Aichi shouts and almost falls out of his chair. "You…finished?"

"Mhmm!" Emi said with a smile. "We ran into each other at the market."

"No way…"

He expected her to finish before him. She had a head start and seemed more dedicated. But it still came as a shock to hear that Emi had met her soulmate already.

"Can I…ask you something? If it's okay?"

"Sure."

"What was it like? When you met him?"

Emi hums and puts a finger to her lips. "It's really hard to explain. Our eyes met and the world around us seemed to stop. I didn't think it was real at first until he came running towards me."

"Huh…" He wanted to know what it was like so he could mentally prepare for it himself. What was he supposed to do when he met his soulmate? Run at them and say 'hi! we're soulmates!'? Just thinking about doing that made him feel embarrassed.

"Kamui said he wants to meet you to. Mom already invited him over for dinner tomorrow."

~…~

How long had it been since he started folding cranes? He uses his calendar, which was marked with how many cranes he folded a day, to see how long he spent on this. It had been over a year since he started.

And he was worried if he was doing this too slowly. Some people could finish in a month if they were that dedicated. And as curious as he had grown over time, Aichi never felt the need to do over five a day.

Doubts would still creep into his mind, but he pushed them aside. He'd seen how Emi and Kamui got along, and it made him yearn for the same thing.

He gets nervous thinking how close he is to finishing a thousand cranes.

Would his soulmate even like him? Would they really get along? What if they didn't? What if? What if?

What if they never meet?

"I've come to far! I can't quit now!"

There's only a hundred more left to fold.

~…~

His hand shakes as he finishes the final crane. He accidentally bends the tail and worries if this would affect meeting his soulmate.

But now, he isn't sure what to expect.

The last one was complete and…that was it. Was he supposed to feel a sudden connection with someone? A pull to find them? He considers asking Emi but doesn't want to bother her. He'd ask too much of her already.

Aichi looks to the door and considers going out. But where would he go? Walk around the city until he finds his soulmate? Was he even supposed to find them the same day he finished folding these cranes? Oh, he wished there was a guide to soulmates that had all the answers for him to read.

He isn't given much time to think about his fateful meeting when his mom asks him to grab something from the convenience store. It's the first time he considers saying 'no' due to his nerves, but goes out, anyway.

Aichi is nervous the whole time and almost buys the wrong thing and panics when he pays the cashier. Nothing clicks between them so…maybe he isn't going to meet his soulmate tonight.

He comes to a stop and pulls out his paper crane. He couldn't remember bringing it with him, but he guessed he just never let it go since making it.

"What do I do now?" He asks the crane.

There is no answer. Unless if he considers a gust of wind blowing the small crane out of his hand one.

"No! Wait!"

Aichi chases after it. Never getting close enough to grab it as it's always just out of reach. He fears losing it, especially at night.

There wasn't anything that said you had to keep all your cranes, but this one? This was the last one he made, and he wanted to give it to his soulmate. It would be a nice gift, at least Aichi thinks it is.

Maybe he's just going to lose it. He can't catch it. This is it.

Finally, the crane falls onto the ground a way before him. It doesn't move. No gust of wind picking it up and carrying it away. This could be his only chance.

Then a shoe appears behind it.

"Please, don't step on that paper crane!" Aichi is quick to call out.

The stranger stops. A hand goes down to pick up the small thing.

"Aw, what a cute little crane. I wish mine came out as nice as this one."

Aichi's eyes fall onto the stranger's face. He was a taller male with messy red hair and red eyes to match. He wore a smile as he held the crane in one hand, gently poking at it with another.

Then his gaze shifts to Aichi.

He isn't sure if the world around him stops, but things feel different. Aichi can't find his voice and there is a strange feeling bubbling inside his chest. His eyes feel funny and he wants to rub them, but his whole body is paralyzed.

Then he notices that familiar swirling design in those red eyes.

It was just like the crane's.

Realizing that, he feels a wave of relief rush over him. Those worried thoughts couldn't dare break into his mind now. All he felt like doing was running up to this person and hugging him.

This was his soulmate.

Perhaps he felt the same way too?

"U-Umm…"

The spell cast upon him had been lifted. But he still couldn't find the right words to say. What did Emi's soulmate say to her when they met? His mind was pulling a blank. Maybe he should just ask.

"So, you're my soulmate?" It was the other who spoke first. Aichi was glad he did.

His soulmate walks up to him and holds out the crane. Aichi stares down at the crane before wearing a sheepish smile.

"I'd like you to have it. I was planning on giving it to my soulmate, anyway. And I guess it found its way to you."

He blinks and holds up the crane. He pokes at it again, playing with its wings.

"I think…I'll name it after you. So, what is your name?"

"Aichi…Aichi Sendou."

"Then this will be little Ai-chan~!" He hums. It makes Aichi blush when he hears that nickname indirectly given to him.

"Whats…your name?"

"Oh! I never told you. It's Ren Suzugamori."

"Ren…" A simple name that easily pours from his lips. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Ren."

Aichi is glad he folded a thousand cranes. It was worth the wait.


End file.
